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Catching snowflakes on the tongue is a traditional wintertime game, and people often melt snow for drinking water or combine it with syrup to make a homemade snow cream dessert. Having been crystallized, snow is actually purer than other forms of precipitation. It may even be purer than tap water. The only cause for concern is if the snow has become contaminated while lying on the ground. Snow gathered from the top layer of the drift is usually safest. Dirty or colored snow must be avoided in all cases. Blue or green snow probably indicates the presence of algae, and brown, black or yellow snow certainly contains impurities. Clean white snow is usually perfectly safe.

Related Questions

On average, snow weighs between 7 pounds per cubic foot and 20 pounds per cubic foot, according to North Dakota State University. The discrepancies can be attributed to the physical state of the ice, its depth and the atmospheric temperature; fluffy snow is light, while compacted snow is heavier.

Snow forms in the atmosphere when the proper temperature and moisture conditions are met. For snow to materialize, temperatures must be below freezing, or around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and there must be a slight amount of moisture present in the air. In order for snow to have the best chance of reaching the ground, temperatures must be at or below freezing.

Snowstorms are storms characterized by a significant volume of snow with accompanying high wind. A massive snowstorm with intense snowfall and strong winds that lasts for a long period of time is called a blizzard.

It snows in Europe, America, Canada and Japan in November. In Europe, it snows in mid-November in France, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. In America, November snow falls mostly in New York, Colorado, Utah, and Minnesota. In Canada, snow falls largely in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Manitoba and Quebec. In Japan, snow season starts in November.